Mel Ott autographs

[earlywynnfan]

Originally Posted by Mr. Zipper

I also wonder what is going to happen as boomers age out of the hobby. Will the remaining 20 - 50-somethings dump a ton of money into pre 1940s autographs of players known primarily to die-hards? Or do they focus on the more recent household names. (Ruth and Cobb being notable exceptions.)

The "completist" collecting mindset of the boomers has not carried over to the younger collectors (in general.) This is not a good sign for the more obscure names, in my opinion.

Couldn't agree with this more. As I look at my collection now, I think "Why?" I landed a whale this year with the Ruth Check; where do I go from here? I can show Babe Ruth to my friends and they are impressed -- heck, even my wife knows him. But as I look at the HOFers I don't have but could afford, does Home Run Baker thrill me? Why would I try so hard for Sam Rice or save up for Hughie Jennings? Does anyone really care? I just got a nice ball with an Ed Walsh. So I check him off the list, put a photo on here, and he goes on the shelf. Why didn't I put that money into my retirement beach house fund or something??

I have around 500 different Negro League single-signed baseballs. Collectors right now are saying "Wow!" But do any of you want to see them all? After a couple guys with really cool stories, maybe a few true rarities, and of course Satchell Paige, you're just going to wander away.

I've hit a point where my Stuff is becoming, well, just stuff.

Ken

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by earlywynnfan

But as I look at the HOFers I don't have but could afford, does Home Run Baker thrill me? Why would I try so hard for Sam Rice or save up for Hughie Jennings? Does anyone really care? I just got a nice ball with an Ed Walsh. So I check him off the list, put a photo on here, and he goes on the shelf. Why didn't I put that money into my retirement beach house fund or something??

The way I look at it, I wasn't born until decades after Ruth, Cobb, Mathewson, etc., retired, and yet I'm still a collector of that era. On the flip side, I see guys older than myself collecting the new stuff. So it's very difficult to predict what will happen, but I don't see any reason why up-and-coming hobby enthusiasts shouldn't want to collect the players you mention.

I believe there will be cycles, just like in other hobbies. In other hobbies the first indication of a move to a down cycle is that things you could never get hold of become available. Then they become available at lower prices. Then they just don't move. I'm currently holding quite a few rare billiard cues by the old master cue-makers - cues that I never even saw for sale ten years ago. I waited and bought them cheap and now they are even cheaper. If the same happens with guys like Ruth, Cobb, Matty, Wagner, Johnson....I'll be all over it.

[whyconform]

.....Can someone find and bring about 250 Mathewson Checks to the market in a short span? LOL I could use one....

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by whyconform

.....Can someone find and bring about 250 Mathewson Checks to the market in a short span? LOL I could use one....

I don't think that's much more far-fetched than what happened with Ott. One more batch of Ott checks and I'm an owner - so far we've seen 1955-57 so 1958 has to be next.

[RedsFan1941]

thanks for all the responses and interesting discussion

[Stampsfan]

Originally Posted by whyconform

.....Can someone find and bring about 250 Mathewson Checks to the market in a short span? LOL I could use one....

Hang tight, I'll have a bunch by the end of the weekend.

How do you spell "Christy" again...?

[mr2686]

Originally Posted by Stampsfan

Hang tight, I'll have a bunch by the end of the weekend.

How do you spell "Christy" again...?

LOL...and don't forget to use a Sharpie.